More than 60 people have been arrested during protests by climate activists Extinction Rebellion (XR) outside two printing presses – which have led to a delay in some newspapers hitting stands.
Demonstrators have blocked access to two print works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool.
Sixty-three people have been arrested across the two locations, police said, and delivery lorries did not leave the Broxbourne site as of 6am on Saturday.
The Newsprinters presses print the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp’s titles including The Sun, The Times, The Sun On Sunday and The Sunday Times.
The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday, and the London Evening Standard are also printed at those locations.
The Times apologised to readers in a tweet, saying it was “working to get newspapers delivered to retailers as soon as possible”.
Newsprinters said it moved the work elsewhere but admitted some papers may be late because of XR’s actions.
A spokesperson said: “Overnight printing at two Newsprinters plants was disrupted by activity by Extinction Rebellion. Thanks to other industry partners, printing was transferred to other sites.
“We apologise sincerely to any readers of The Sun, The Times, the Daily Mail, the Daily Telegraph and the Financial Times who may be unable to buy their usual newspaper this morning due to late deliveries.
“Our teams are working to get newspapers delivered to retailers as soon as possible this morning.
“This attack on all of the free press impacted many workers going about their jobs. Overnight print workers, delivery drivers, wholesale workers and retail newsagents have faced delays and financial penalty.”
That sentiment was echoed was echoed by Home Secretary Priti Patel, who called XR’s actions “completely unacceptable”.
It comes after several days of disruption across London by the group, in a bid to highlight the climate crisis.
Protesters also gathered at another site in Motherwell, but Police Scotland say they were moved on with no arrests made.
XR claim that the “mainstream media” is controlled by a small number of people, and that news corporations are guilty of “consistent manipulation of the truth to suit their own personal and political agendas.”
The group in Hertfordshire have erected bamboo structures on the approach to the printers, preventing access to the site.
A Sky News producer at the scene said there were lines of vans queued up along the road to the site, waiting to collect newspapers.
Hertfordshire Police said: “We’re currently in Great Eastern Road, Waltham Cross, following reports of a protest.
“Our officers are engaging with the group, which consists of around 100 people, and we are working to facilitate the rights of both the protesters and those affected by their presence.”
In a tweet, the force said it had made 42 arrests.
Merseyside Police also confirmed there was an ongoing situation in Knowsley, near Liverpool, telling Sky News that officers are speaking with members of the group and are dealing with the situation.
Some 21 arrests have been made there.
Extinction Rebellion activist Gully Bujak, 27, said: “You cannot have a functioning democracy with a mainstream media that is ruled by a small, unrepresentative sect of society, who are in bed with politicians and the fossil fuel industry.
“The climate emergency is an existential threat to humanity. Instead of publishing this on the front page every day as it deserves, much of our media ignores the issue and some actively sow seeds of climate denial.
“They thrive off of polarisation and division. They sow hatred in order to distract us, actively profiting from this division.
“To these papers we say this: you will not come between us anymore. For a night we’re going to filter out the lies and take the power back. For a night we’re going to show the world that you are vulnerable, just like us.”
